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bbc.co.uk
Gary Lineker among millionaires asking Andy Burnham to tax them more
A group including the former England footballer write to the new PM telling him "we can afford it".
cnbc.com
UniCredit CEO tells CNBC acquisition of Commerzbank could happen in fourth quarter
UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel told CNBC Thursday that the Italian bank could "potentially" acquire Commerzbank in the fourth quarter.
cnbc.com
10-year Treasury yield threatening to break out to highest level in more than a year
U.S. Treasury yields advanced on Wednesday, following oil prices higher, as traders await jobless claims data due later in the session.
cnbc.com
Russia’s Amazon-style retail giant Wildberries is now in Ukraine’s crosshairs. Here's why
Ukraine has ratcheted up its attacks on Russia's Amazon-style retail giant Wildberries, signaling a new phase in the war.
cnbc.com
Ozempic face? Botox boom boosted by 'sagging face' trend, Swiss firm says
The aestetics company hope increased GLP-1 use will fuel demand for treatments addressing facial volume loss, sometimes dubbed "Ozempic face."
cnbc.com
China's Geely to make EVs at Ford plant in Spain under new joint venture
Ford and Geely plan for the joint venture will begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new vehicles scheduled to roll off the line in 2028.
bbc.co.uk
The Bottom Line
What was the best business move of the last 12 months and who made the biggest blunder?
bbc.co.uk
Why are UK fuel prices rising again?
UK fuel prices are going up again after the collapse of peace talks to end the US-Israel war with Iran.
cnbc.com
Houthis claim strikes on Saudi oil tankers as Rubio says Iran not ready to make a deal
Yemen's Houthis said they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers with drones and missiles for allegedly violating its maritime blockade.
bbc.co.uk
Airport drop-off fees up by a third - here are the priciest
The cost of parking closest to the terminal has hit £10 at two of the UK's airports.
cnbc.com
Moonshot AI accessed Nvidia's chips despite Chinese export ban, White House official says
A White House official said Moonshot AI, which released the powerful Kimi K3 model last week, accessed Nvidia's GB300 chips in Thailand.
theguardian.com
Space datacenters proposed by Musk and Bezos ‘catastrophic’ for planet, experts warn
New US petition demands review of plans from tech companies amid fears of environmental destructionSpace datacenters proposed by SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin and others would release staggering levels of pollution that would probably alter the Earth’s atmosphere and be “catastrophic” for the planet, space industry experts and environmental groups warn in a new petition demanding a review of their impacts.Tech companies have collectively proposed millions of “orbital datacenters” and are pressing forward with plans, which require Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. Among other issues, pollution from satellites and rockets burning up upon re-entry appears to be accumulating in the stratosphere at alarming levels. The spacecraft release black soot, rare metals, aluminum oxides and other pollutants with unknown effects. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Google slapped with $1 billion fine under landmark EU digital law
European regulators fined Google 890 million euros ($1 billion) alleging the company gives preferential treatment to its own services.
cnbc.com
Eli Lilly says it will file for approval of next-generation obesity drug in 2027 as it clears two more trials
There are now positive results from five late-stage trials on retatrutide, which Lilly is positioning as the next pillar of its obesity portfolio.
bbc.co.uk
VAT cut to be applied to Manx electricity bills
The 0% rate from October will apply to domestic customers and eligible firms on the Isle of Man.
theguardian.com
US senator accuses Barclays of ‘failure’ to investigate ex-CEO’s ties to Epstein
Exclusive: Elizabeth Warren claims bank did not ‘meaningfully investigate’ Jes Staley’s links with sex offenderThe leading US senator Elizabeth Warren has called for urgent answers from Barclays over what she claimed was its “apparent failure to meaningfully investigate” ties between the bank’s former boss, Jes Staley, and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.In a letter sent privately to Barclays’s chair, Nigel Higgins, and seen by the Guardian, Warren – the most senior Democrat on the US senate banking committee – said it was “deeply unclear how Barclays, supposedly investigating Staley’s connection to Epstein, failed to uncover this decades-long relationship”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
EU fines Google €890m for competition breaches over search and apps
Firm told to treat third-party services that appear in its results in ‘fair and non-discriminatory manner’Google has been fined a total of €890m (£760m) by the EU for breaches of online competition laws by its search and app store services.The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said Google had broken the Digital Markets Act by giving priority to its own services, such as shopping and hotel deals, in search results over those of its rivals. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Democratic lawmakers propose bank funded by China tariffs to boost US manufacturing
Exclusive: Ro Khanna says ‘reindustrialization’ effort would provide grants, loans and investments to smaller businessesDemocrats in the US Congress have laid out plans for what they say would be the “boldest” bid to revitalize the country’s industrial heartlands since the second world war – using revenue raised by tariffs on China.A bill introduced this week would create a new bank to strengthen domestic manufacturing, provided with up to $15bn in funds each year. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Tesla and Alphabet shares slump as AI spending concerns spook investors
Both Tesla and Alphabet signaled higher spending as they invest in artificial intelligence.
bbc.co.uk
What about cuts for cafes and hotels?
The new PM has announced at 20% business rate cut for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England,
cnbc.com
U.S. oil tops $90, Brent above $98 after tankers struck off Saudi Arabia
Oil prices rose after attacks on ships in the Red Sea, and U.S. President Donald Trump's threatened to bomb Iranian infrastructure.
cnbc.com
Defense boom lifts European stocks amid strong earnings; Dassault pops 8%
The continent's defense upcycle translated into another quarter of higher revenue and swelling order books.
bbc.co.uk
Government to cut business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues
Some hospitality firms will get a 20% discount from next April, saving an estimated £1,100.
theguardian.com
EasyJet profits plunge 70% as fuel costs soar amid Iran war
Budget airline, which has two US investment firms vying to buy it, also affected by passengers booking laterThe low-cost airline easyJet has revealed a 70% slide in profits because of soaring fuel costs and later bookings as a result of the conflict in Iran, only weeks after it agreed to a £5.7bn takeover.The carrier reported a pre-tax profit of £85m between April and June compared with £286m during the same period a year earlier, as its fuel costs increased by £105m after the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East in late February sent energy prices rocketing. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Business rates to be cut by 20% for pubs, clubs and music venues in England
Burnham says relief for vape shops and other ‘non-positive’ businesses to be reviewed as part of £100m plan to fund cutPubs, clubs and live music venues in England will receive a 20% cut to their business rates bills from April under plans unveiled by Andy Burnham as part of a £10m package aimed at supporting high streets and easing cost of living pressures.The prime minister said the package would be fully funded, including through a review of relief for businessesdeemed not to make a positive contribution to communities, such as vape shops. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Charity 'heartbroken' as food ruined in break-in
FareShare North East says it lost 16 tonnes of food - the equivalent of 7,000 meals.
bbc.co.uk
What we know about 20% cut to some business rates
Pubs, clubs and live music venues in England will get a 20% cut in business rates from April.
bbc.co.uk
Google burning through cash with spiralling AI costs
The company said earlier this year it expected to spend as much as $190bn on AI investments.
theguardian.com
Carmakers lobbied UK to revoke ban on petrol and diesel cars after 2035
BMW, Ford, Nissan and Toyota, plus parts maker Bosch, wrote joint letter to ministers in AprilMajor carmakers privately lobbied the UK government to revoke a ban on new petrol and diesel cars after 2035, according to documents that reveal for the first time the efforts to overturn a key decarbonisation policy.BMW, Ford, Nissan and Toyota, plus the parts maker Bosch, wrote a joint letter to ministers in April calling for an “open technology approach” including petrol and diesel cars after 2035, when the government had said new cars must produce zero carbon emissions. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
If you’ve heard that London is dystopian and dangerous – read this. It just isn’t | Sadiq Khan
Britain's capital has faced social media, press and political attacks designed to make residents and tourists feel unsafe. Ignore that: we have the factsOver the summer months, 5 million people will visit London, with its free museums and galleries, massive events featuring the biggest names in music and sport, and everything Britain’s capital city has to offer. And, as new figures released today show, they’ll be able to do so knowing London is one of the safest cities of its size in the world.On social media, a dark blizzard of disinformation – much of it coordinated and amplified by extreme groups and hostile foreign actors – has seen bots and trolls depict London as a “lawless” city where crime goes unpunished and basic social decency has all but disappeared. But let’s deal in facts: data published by the Metropolitan police this morning shows that nothing could be further from the truth. Across the capital, there were 35,000 fewer “neighbourhood crimes” – a category which includes burglaries, thefts, robberies and vehicle crime offences – in the past 12 months than in the year before. This has not happened by accident. As mayor I have provided a record £1.26bn in funding for the capital’s police force, more than double the amount under my predecessor. That funding has enabled it to invest in cutting-edge technology to keep pace with criminals, including ebikes and drones to pursue phone snatchers down London’s busy streets, but it has also boosted neighbourhood policing in communities across our city. Now, we have more evidence that our approach is yielding real results. In Westminster – home to many communities and the centre of the capital’s tourism – where we’ve doubled the number of police officers and introduced a new “command cell” to lead a crackdown on phone theft and robbery, neighbourhood crime has fallen by 36%. In the West End, the beating heart of London’s visitor economy, phone thefts are down by half. Since last year, thousands of police officers across our city have been arresting an extra 1,000 suspects every month on average. Their work has been tireless. But the figures also reflect the astonishing impact of the violence reduction unit (VRU), which I set up in 2019. When first elected mayor, I promised to be tough on crime and tough on the complex causes of crime. Through the VRU, we’ve done just that, providing interventions and positive opportunities to prevent more than half a million young people from getting caught up in a vicious cycle of violence and exploitation. And note this: since it was set up, hospital admissions of young people after knife assault, have fallen by almost 50%.Sadiq Khan is mayor of LondonDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
'Project Firepower': Inside Rheinmetall's gunpowder expansion as Europe races to replenish its ammunition
Scarcity of gunpowder is seen as a choke point for ramping up production of ammunition for militaries, and a barrier for Europe to ensure defense sovereignty
bbc.co.uk
Firm hacked by rogue OpenAI models says it is 'a wake-up call'
A co-founder of start-up Hugging Face told the BBC that most firms are not aware that the "game has changed".
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Spending shock disappoints Wall Street
Massive spending increases from heavyweights Alphabet and Tesla keep investors on edge, sending shares lower during the U.S. session.
bbc.co.uk
Big bosses reveal the secret to getting hired
Business leaders share their best career advice and the qualities they look for when recruiting new staff.
cnbc.com
Hedge funds circle UK stocks as new PM Andy Burnham pledges 'new economic model'
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's overhaul of Britain's domestic policy could fuel a range of trading opportunities in U.K. stocks.
theguardian.com
Besieged by lobbyists, will UK ministers protect our ecosystems? No, they’ll chicken out | George Monbiot
Industrial poultry farming is killing our rivers. But rather than stop it, the government has been facilitating it. Will Andy Burnham end this ecocide?There’s a slightly mean question I often ask British people with an interest in the living world: can you name the environment secretary? I don’t intend to show them up: it’s not them I’m testing. I watch the brows knit, a finger go up, the mouth open and close. “It’s, you know, the one who … no, they went, didn’t they? That other one …” It’s been like this for seven years.Why? Because throughout this period, we’ve not had environment secretaries. We’ve had portals through which corporate lobbyists may pass. The last incumbent to represent the wider public interest (and I can scarcely bring myself to type these words) was Michael Gove. In his other roles, he’s widely remembered with loathing and disgust. Out of office, he continues to poison public life, as editor of the Spectator. But in this role, to general astonishment, he placed the public good above special interests.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Silver and gold prices stage a cautious rebound — but analysts see slim hopes for a sustained rally
Precious metals have rallied in recent days, but analysts say prices could face a difficult path back to all-time highs achieved earlier this year.
cnbc.com
Gen Z protests led by India’s 'Cockroach party' are testing Modi’s leadership
Student protests organized by a pseudo-political outfit, Cockroach Janta Party, are gaining momentum as they challenge the political establishment.
theguardian.com
‘People are scared their neighbours will call the police on them’: how the hosepipe ban got caught up in the culture wars
While many people in the UK recognise the need to preserve water, others are furious and planning to flout the ban in their area. The target of their anger? Failing water companies and frighteningly thirsty datacentres‘Plants are like your babies,” says Harry. And accordingly, he argues, most people would do anything to keep them alive, including break the law. This is what he plans to do this week – defying a hosepipe ban in place across large parts of England, to ensure his shrubs maintain a steady pulse.He may not be alone. On Tuesday, Thames Water became the latest company to ban hosepipes – a restriction that will affect more than 10 million people. Since mid-July, Welsh Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water (serving Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey), Southern Water and Cambridge Water have all announced hosepipe bans. And earlier this week, South East Water extended its existing ban to cover an additional 1.5 million. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
These Japanese AI winners don’t make chips. They make toilets, glass fiber and seasoning
A toilet maker, a glass fiber manufacturer and the maker of MSG have in Japan have become major beneficiaries of the AI boom.
cnbc.com
Chip firm priced as China's most valuable company before its IPO brings scrutiny to crypto platform
The outsized premium was due in part to offshore investors who, locked out of the highly anticipated listings, turned to crypto for a parallel market.
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: Skyroot rocket puts India alongside U.S., China in private orbital launch
Indian startup Skyroot joins Chinese and American private companies in the race to launch satellites in low orbit.
theguardian.com
What is the US-Saudi Arabia nuclear deal and why is it causing concern?
The US will help Saudi Arabia establish a civilian nuclear program, but critics have said it could lead to domestic enrichment and set off a regional arms raceMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US and Saudi Arabia have agreed a landmark deal that would use American technology and expertise to establish a civilian nuclear program in the Gulf country, a move that has caused alarm across the Middle East and through the corridors of power in Washington.Much of the deal remains unclear, but concerns centre on whether Saudi Arabia would have the capability to enrich uranium domestically, and what that means for nuclear proliferation. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What does the BBC do for you? – podcast
Media critic Mark Lawson discusses with Nosheen Iqbal why even the BBC director general has lost faith in the current licence fee model, and explore what options the national broadcaster has to secure fundingOn Sunday night, the BBC rebooted an advert based on one it first aired 40 years ago. In the new version the presenter Romesh Ranganathan pretends he is a disgruntled licence fee payer, asking the question: “What has the BBC ever done for me?” Some of the national broadcaster’s biggest stars then make the case for its existence and ask for the public to keep funding it.The ad has aired not long after the BBC’s new director general, Matt Brittin, said the organisation was in “real jeopardy” due to a faster-than-predicted decline in licence fee payments. But what is the alternative to the old model? Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
China's Moonshot AI stole from Anthropic, Trump tech adviser says
The allegations come as Chinese AI companies are facing increased US government scrutiny.
cnbc.com
Alphabet and Tesla test Wall Street's patience as AI spending overshadows growth
Shares of Alphabet and Tesla dipped after the companies reported massive spending increases in their quarterly earnings reports.
theguardian.com
‘A statement of freedom’: T-shirt slogan goes viral and book sales rocket in Taiwan after Hong Kong raids
Taiwanese people look on with concern at fate of Hong Kong’s independent booksellers, after series of arrests in recent monthsWalking out of one of Hong Kong’s last remaining independent bookstores, hands behind her back but head held high, the woman’s T-shirt was emblazoned with a simple slogan: “I am a bookstore employee”.Escorted by police, the woman was among five people arrested during raids on two bookstores last week, suspected of displaying and selling publications with “seditious” content, a national security crime which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Why we're sticking with Alphabet despite an imperfect quarter and more AI spending
The market isn't in a forgiving mood, but we're not in a hurry to leave this stock behind.
theguardian.com
US signs landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could pave the way for domestic nuclear enrichment
Trump administration hails agreement, which comes as the US fights a war with Iran in part to prevent Tehran enriching uranium domesticallyWhat is the US-Saudi Arabia nuclear deal and why is it causing concern?The US has signed a landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium in the future.In a statement on Wednesday, the US Department of Energy said its secretary, Chris Wright, and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, signed a “peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement”, along with a “bilateral safeguards agreement”. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Why the UK is dithering over what to do about e-scooters
Why is it taking so long for the government to regulate them, and what are the consequences of delay?
theguardian.com
Tesla’s profits slide despite growing revenue as it pivots to robotics and AI
Shares in Elon Musk company fall more 3% in after-hours trading, as earnings per share miss Wall Street expectationsTesla reported its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday, disclosing far lower profits than expected. The company’s already beleaguered stock, which had fallen about 14% this year to date, dipped further following the earnings report.Elon Musk’s automaker, once the pinnacle of his tech empire, has taken a back seat to SpaceX. Musk’s rocket and AI company held the largest stock market debut in history last month, turning the richest man on Earth into the world’s first trillionaire, though his net worth has since fallen from its peak. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
ServiceNow CEO defends the company's relevancy, touting a kill switch for rogue AI agents
ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott said the company is becoming increasingly important as businesses deploy more autonomous AI agents.
cnbc.com
Tesla misses on earnings, as free cash flow turns negative and margins slide
Tesla's earnings report lands in the midst of a slide in the company's stock price even as its core auto business is rebounding.
cnbc.com
U.S. signs nuclear power agreement with Saudi Arabia
The agreement will provide U.S. companies with access to Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy program, the Department of Energy said.
theguardian.com
OpenAI’s rogue agents are a wake-up call to risks posed by artificial intelligence | Shakeel Hashim
Hacking of Hugging Face shows we do not seem to have reliable ways to curb extremely powerful AI systemsLast week Hugging Face – a company that hosts artificial intelligence models and datasets – was hacked.After it reported the incident to law enforcement, few would have predicted what came next: the culprits were revealed to be AI agents from OpenAI, which had broken out of containment and were acting of their own accord.Shakeel Hashim is the editor of Transformer, a publication about the power and politics of transformative AI Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Paramount’s £80bn takeover of Warner Brothers a step closer after EU approval
European Commission says Paramount Skydance’s decision to end Universal venture addresses merger concernsParamount Skydance’s £80bn takeover of Warner Brothers took a step closer to being realised after it won conditional approval from the European Union.The European Commission said Paramount’s offer to end a film distribution joint venture with Universal Pictures addressed its concerns over the potential merger. As part of its commitments in the EU, Paramount has 13 months from the date of closing the deal to pull out from the venture. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
London loses again: FTSE 100 landlord Segro will be missed
Doubly depressing takeover by a US buyer deprives the UK market of a property company that is genuinely differentFor a few hours on Wednesday, it seemed possible we were about to witness a rare stock market event: a FTSE 100 company holding out against a hostile raider from the US and defying some of its own large shareholders to defend its independence.Sadly, it didn’t happen. Segro, the FTSE 100 warehouse landlord known as Slough Estates for much of its corporate life, capitulated minutes before the deadline and said it was “minded to recommend” the “best and final” offer of £14bn, or £10.32 a share, from the US giant Prologis of San Francisco. The two sides now have until 12 August to hammer out a firm agreement. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tories ask HMRC to investigate whether Nigel Farage owes tax on £5m gift
Party chair queries status of funds Reform leader received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne The Conservatives have asked HMRC to investigate whether Nigel Farage should have paid tax on the £5m gift he received from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.The party chair, Kevin Hollinrake, wrote to the tax authorities questioning whether it was a payment to compensate him for running to be an MP. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Aston Martin secures £550m loan deal
The luxury car maker says the loans will be used to fund current and future product plans.
theguardian.com
Segro board U-turns on £14bn takeover bid by US rival Prologis
UK warehouse landlord says board unanimous in recommendation to accept ‘best and final offer’ The board of the UK warehouse landlord Segro has U-turned and said it would be willing to accept a £14bn takeover by Segro’s bigger US rival, Prologis, in a deal that would be one of the largest foreign takeovers of a UK-listed company.In the latest blow to the troubled London stock market, Segro said in a statement that its board had “unanimously concluded” it would recommend its shareholders accept what Prologis called its “best and final offer”, made just hours before a deadline. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Andy Burnham and devolution: it takes a powerful centre to decentralise power | Editorial
When it comes to driving an agenda from No 10, the prime minister seems to have learned important lessons from his predecessor’s failureBefore entering Downing Street, Andy Burnham cited the overcentralisation of power as a cause of Britain’s social and economic malaise. In his first week, the new prime minister has signalled his intent to bolster No 10 as an organ of executive power. The apparent contradiction – fortifying the centre to pursue an agenda of decentralisation – arises from a perversity in the way the British state works or, rather, fails to work.The prime minister is right that too much policy has historically been directed from Whitehall. Reforms in recent years have created institutions with varying degrees of local autonomy – elected mayoralties like the one in Manchester that afforded Mr Burnham a platform for national prominence. But genuine control, especially when it comes to fiscal policy, has not matched the rhetoric of devolution. The Treasury is wary of facilitating profligacy in lower tiers of government. Heads of devolved administrations are also adept at claiming credit when things go well and, when they go badly, diverting the blame on to national government.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Chinese workers picking up the pen: poetry in motion | Editorial
A food delivery rider has won the country’s highest literary award. It is part of a growing trend for writing by labourersThe hundreds of millions who have built modern China from the ground up – sweeping its streets, labouring in its factories and ferrying its goods – are often overlooked. But they refuse to go unheard. Last week, a food delivery rider won China’s top literary award. Wang Jibing, 56, first caught attention when a poem about his experiences went viral in 2022. The following year, Hu Anyan’s memoir, I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, became a bestseller.In the early 20th century, Chinese intellectuals sought to capture the harsh realities of working-class lives. But it was under Mao Zedong that the idea of writing by as well as about the masses became reality, with labourers encouraged to take up the pen. In an era when the party tried to govern the language even of diaries and personal letters, the parameters of style and content were strict, and this enthusiasm swiftly diminished after Mao. But workers’ writing has seen a revival in the 21st century. This time, it is bottom-up rather than directed from above.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Former Lloyd's of London boss's relationship breached rules, firm says
The insurance market's chairman said the CEO's conduct "fell significantly below the standards expected of him".
bbc.co.uk
I travel four hours on a bus per day - the bus fare cap will save me £500 a year
The BBC speaks to people around the country about their view on the newly-announced bus fare cap.
theguardian.com
One billion plastic pellets spilled into River Tyne after two ships collide
Up to 25 tonnes of nurdles, the raw material for plastic manufacturing, have spread further than initially fearedApproximately a billion tiny plastic nurdles have entered the River Tyne after a “devastating spill”, with the pellets thought to have spread much further than first thought.Nurdles, which are usually 1mm-5mm in size, act as the raw material to manufacture most plastic products. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump vows to bomb Iran's bridges, power plants if it shoots at ships in Hormuz Strait
He issued his threat after U.S. Central Command hit Iranian targets for an 11th straight night.
bbc.co.uk
Ex-Southern Water boss among four charged over alleged plan to manipulate water tests
Matthew Wright is accused alongside three others of trying to save the firm millions in penalties.
theguardian.com
Food price fears after Europe’s heatwave destroys estimated €2bn of crops
Record June temperatures expected to cut grain harvest by 9m tonnes to its lowest level since 2018 The heatwave that swept across Europe in June is estimated to have cost the continent’s grain farmers €2bn (£1.7bn) in lost revenue and destroyed 9m tonnes of crops, sparking concern about the impact on the price of food.Coceral, the European cereals and oilseeds trade association, made the estimate for the harvest of crops such as wheat, barley, maize and oats following the heatwave. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump's generic drug tariffs: What they could mean for medicine prices, manufacturers and supply
Trump's generic drug tariff plan raises questions over prices, U.S. manufacturing and which drugmakers stand to gain or lose as details remain unclear.
bbc.co.uk
Bus travellers respond to fare reduction
'It's going to help us' - public respond to bus fare cut.
cnbc.com
Samsung ups prices as it launches new foldable smartphones ahead of expected Apple debut
Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8.
theguardian.com
The Treasury will check Andy Burnham’s ambitions – unless old orthodoxies are challenged | Larry Elliott
Fifty years ago, another Healey ran the Treasury. Today’s chancellor may find some things haven’t changedSome things never change. Fifty years ago, Britain was sweltering in the long hot summer of 1976. The Labour government was acutely aware that the financial markets were scrutinising its every move. And a man called Healey was running the Treasury.On the surface, the challenges facing John Healey are less severe than those Denis Healey had to grapple with half a century ago. Inflation is a lot lower and the City has reacted calmly to Andy Burnham as prime minister. And, while things could turn nasty pretty quickly, they would have to get a lot worse before Healey Mk II felt the need to ask the International Monetary Fund for an emergency loan. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Most bus fares in England to be capped at £2 from January
The government says the policy will "help with the cost of living and give people the breathing space they need"
bbc.co.uk
What does an Andy Burnham-led government mean for your money?
The new PM says he will look at how much people can earn before paying tax but there will be no change yet.
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI says its AI went rogue and launched 'unprecedented' cyber-attack
It is one of the first publicly disclosed cyber-attacks carried out by AI without direct human involvement.
cnbc.com
What is Pickaxe Mountain, the Iranian nuclear facility Trump is threatening to strike?
"We'll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily," President Donald Trump said about Iran's underground nuclear facility in Pickaxe Mountain.
theguardian.com
I joined the long lines for Trader Joe’s viral tote bags. What I found surprised me
Shoppers are waking up before sunrise to score the $3 mini grocery bags, which have become a global status symbolA Friday morning on a public holiday usually means sleeping in. Instead, I was standing outside my local Trader Joe’s before 7am, staring at a line of shoppers that seemed to stretch for miles.The grocery store in Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles, wouldn’t open for another hour. But hundreds of people were already waiting for the same thing: Trader Joe’s new striped pastel mini canvas totes, a $2.99 reusable bag that has inspired a frenzy more typically associated with sneaker releases or concert presale tickets. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Some food prices have fallen – but inflation expected to rise from here
June's fall in inflation will be welcomed by the new prime minister but analysts warn the fall is temporary.
theguardian.com
‘If all else fails, sue’: how ultra-processed food firms are using the courts to obstruct health rules
Exclusive: Global investigation reveals 235 lawsuits have been brought against governments in five countries since 2010The world’s biggest ultra-processed food companies have filed scores of lawsuits challenging government policies that tackle junk diets, the Guardian can reveal.Ultra-processed food (UPF) is linked to harm in every major organ system of the human body and poses a seismic threat to global health. Worldwide consumption is rising and UPF now makes up as much as half the average diet in many countries, including the UK, the US and Australia. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
It cost £2.1bn to divert a river in Brazil’s outback. So where has all the water gone?
Despite official claims that the São Francisco River project supplies 12m people, many of those who had to make way for its construction in 2007 still have no water at allA concrete canal cutting through the Caatinga scrubland feeds a surface reservoir two and a half miles from Maria de Fátima Ferreira da Silva?s home in rural Brazil. The canal passes Sertânia and continues until it reaches Monteiro, the next town along, where it spills its precious cargo into the bed of the Paraíba River ? a human-directed inflow into the seasonally dry waterway.Such proximity to a reliable water source would usually be considered a blessing in the sertão, a vast outback in Brazil?s north-east known for its punishing droughts. But not for Ferreira, who was displaced nearly 20 years ago by the construction of the canal and now lives in a house without any water supply, despite the nearby reservoir.Maria de Fátima Ferreira da Silva in her maize crop at Salão productive rural village. She bathes at the reservoir and collects water there for her smallholding and donkey, and pays to fill her barrel with drinking water each month Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Transport secretary quizzed on bus fare change
Labour MP is asked about the lowering of the bus fare cap, after Starmer increased it in 2025.
bbc.co.uk
Will your job be replaced by AI? Here are the roles most affected
Artificial Intelligence companies make vast claims about their tools replacing human labour - our charts show what's happening.
bbc.co.uk
The borough where families are slowly disappearing
Islington is a snapshot of a trend playing out across inner London, Britain and much of the world.
theguardian.com
‘Risking blackouts’? How Great Britain’s grid operator was dragged into a political row
Neso denies allegations aired by Tory MP that staff took part in cover-up over decision-making in heatwaveIn a control room in Wokingham, Berkshire, staff work around the clock, minute by minute, to align Great Britain’s fluctuating power supplies with its ever-changing demand.However, as households struggle to adapt to soaring summer temperatures, staff at the government-owned National Energy System Operator (Neso), tasked with keeping the lights on, have faced the kind of challenge usually reserved for the country’s coldest winter nights in recent weeks. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘I fell in love with the art of coffee-making’: the female baristas shaking up Somalia’s booming cafe scene
As fear and fighting ease in Mogadishu, coffee shops have become catalysts for change, bringing jobs for women and creating much-needed social spacesEvery morning at six, Saabiriin Hassan slips on her apron as she takes her place behind the counter at Cplus Cafe in the heart of Mogadishu. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air, but it is Hassan’s ever-present smile that draws the attention first.It stays with her every move – from grinding beans and steaming milk to chatting with customers. Hassan is among the first female baristas in Somalia, serving coffee and helping a new cafe culture take root in a capital city once only known for conflict. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
India steps up energy shift as costs and tariff pressures mount — oil blending push sparks backlash
India is banking on alternative fuels as it prioritizes energy security amid high oil prices and supply constraints.
bbc.co.uk
'I can't afford to turn the oven on': 7.4m households struggling to buy essentials
As Andy Burnham promises “breathing space” for households, millions are unable to buy items such as clothing, heating and food.
bbc.co.uk
Tokyo urges men to wear shorts to work, but women say it's 'leg hair harassment'
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government wants workers to ditch the suit and tie for t-shirts, trainers - and shorts.
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham to cut tax on electricity to ease cost of living - video
The prime minister told his new cabinet in its first meeting that the government will be a 'cost-of-living government' and needs to examine 'all possible ways' to help families struggling with high costs. The new prime minister announced an £850m tax cut on electricity bills in his first significant policy announcement Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Our streets are full of oversized cars | Brief letters
Carspreading | An interregnum | Served by Thames Water | Manchesterism | Gransplaining | Cold in YorkshireRe “carspreading” (Opinion, 12 July), my wife and I live in a neighbourhood of houses built just before the second world war, and have watched in horror as models of our favoured cars have increased in size. Having chosen to keep our Mini Cooper and VW Polo – both of 2016 vintage – I believe we are the only people in the locality who store both cars in the garage overnight.John PyeSouthampton• A “period between reigns” (Quick crossword, 13 July) is an interregnum, not a regency as your solution has it. A regency occurs when a monarch is deemed incapable of carrying out his/her duties and they are taken over by a regent.Peter WrigleyBirstall, West Yorkshire Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We were at their mercy’: inside the Amazon tactics that hiked prices across the internet
Internal emails revealed in court and interviews with ex-employees describe how Amazon’s practices drove up prices for competitors like Walmart and Target. Amazon denies price-fixing claims and says it works to lower costs for consumersA “modern leather” table lamp, listed online at Walmart, shot up from $24.99 to $39. The price of an air fryer on a retail site called Newegg went from $84.99 to $149.99.An electric ice-cream maker was listed at just $17.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. Then it became unavailable at Best Buy, and more than tripled in price to $59.99 at Amazon. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What will Andy Burnham’s VAT cut on electricity bills mean for you?
New prime minister is implementing immediate tax cut to help ease cost of living pressures for British householdsAndy Burnham to cut VAT on electricity bills as first cost of living moveHousehold electricity bills for people in Great Britain will not attract VAT for six months, under the first of a series of cost of living measures announced by the new prime minister, Andy Burnham. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
British Gas mixed up our energy meter – but now I’m being penalised
When the problem was finally sorted out in our new-build home, it increased my tariff by 19%Residents in our new housing development are being billed for each other’s energy after the meters were mixed up.I realised British Gas was sending bills for my energy to the developer of the estate instead of to me. I informed British Gas of my details when I moved in seven months ago. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A guy did a runner in a Jaguar’: the petrol theft scandal – and the garage owner struggling to stop it
Since the start of the Iran war in February, there has been a 23% rise in fuel theft, with more than £1.2m stolen from British forecourts each week. Why aren’t the police doing more to apprehend the culprits?A petrol station tucked away in the suburbs of Birmingham seems an unlikely place for a crime spree. But this garage has become a prime target for thieves. Some fuel runners are easy to spot, approaching the petrol pumps in face masks, but after a recent spate of fill-and-dashes by less conspicuous drivers, no motorist is beyond suspicion. “It could be anyone,” says Shailesh Parekh, who is on high alert, as always.The 62-year-old owns six forecourts across Birmingham, and today I’m visiting his station in Erdington, a residential area about five miles from the city centre. Parekh remembers a time when a motorist speeding off with an unpaid-for tank was rare. So much so, it would be the talk of the station for months. Those days are long gone. Now, it’s a weekly and sometimes daily occurrence. “In the last three years, it’s been very bad,” Parekh tells me from the back office, where a monitor beams CCTV images from every inch of the forecourt. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Burnham begins: what awaits the new PM? - podcast
Senior political correspondent Peter Walker and former No 10 press secretary Paul Harrison analyse Andy Burnham’s first day as PMOn Monday, Andy Burnham finally realised his long-held ambition to become prime minister. But what problems can he expect to confront now he’s in No 10?Former Downing Street press secretary Paul Harrison talks through the challenges of the office, from the awkward living arrangements to the even more awkward conversations with the president of the US. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
The 20-somethings betting big on tech stocks
The BBC hears from people about the risks and rewards of investing in technology shares.
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham pledges to address cost of living in first speech as UK PM - video
The new UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, has given his first speech after accepting the king's invitation to form a government. In his speech, he pledged to bring in a 10-year plan for Britain as well as planning to end rough sleeping, 'build a new economy' and address the cost of living crisis. 'I can do something to give people some breathing space now. I will set out some of those measures tomorrow, including how we pay for them,' he said Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why can’t Lifestyle & Mobility store show compassion after my loss?
I bought a wheelchair for my daughter, but she later died in hospital and the company refuses a refundI bought a £435 wheelchair for my disabled daughter from my local Lifestyle & Mobility store.She had been admitted to hospital for tests and I planned to use the chair to take her on outings when she was discharged. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
This farmer wanted to quit the cocaine industry - he couldn't
Colombians who grow cocaine's raw material bemoan a lack of support to help them switch crops.
bbc.co.uk
Is tracking your food purchases good for your health?
Food tracking apps are popular, but are they a good way to make us eat a healthier diet?
bbc.co.uk
New era for Gibraltar with removal of 118-year-old border controls with Spain
It is hoped that free movement between the UK territory and Spain will provide an economic boost.
bbc.co.uk
Wealthy AI workers send San Francisco house prices soaring
The median cost of a home in the city is now $1.7m, a record high, according to the latest figures.
bbc.co.uk
Robots available for rent: But what can they do?
Robotics tech is changing fast, so for many it makes sense to rent a robot.
bbc.co.uk
AI is 'not smart' so what's next in artificial intelligence?
Leading AI researcher Yan LeCun has a start-up which is developing a more flexible AI system.
bbc.co.uk
Why is crucial tech vulnerable to the heat?
Energy grids and train services are among the vital services that are vulnerable to very hot weather.
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
bbc.co.uk
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
bbc.co.uk
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
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